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Maple Products in the Finger Lakes

Maple syrup comes from the sap of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum). It is produced only in the regions where sugar maples grow--around the Great Lakes in Canada and the northeastern United States. New York State is the second largest prodcer in the United States (after Vermont) and the third leading producer of maple syrup in the world. In 2016, it produced 700,000 gallons of syrup, 17 percent of all syrup produced in the United States. Much of this syrup comes from the Finger Lakes Region.

It takes an average of 43 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Originally, the Indians collected sap in bark buckets from taps of alder or elderberry. Although sap is still collected in buckets, it's more common today to see trees connected by plastic tubing that drains into a common site.

Sap begins to run in late February when the days are sunny and above freezing and the nights are below freezing. (Watch the buds on the trees. They will begin to swell at this time.) Most syrup production is over when the buds begin to open around April 1.

New York maple syrup is graded. Here are the three grades sold to consumers:

Grade A Golden--delicate flavor

Grade A Amber--mild flavor

Grade A Dark--fuller flavor

Grade A Very Dark--strong maple flavor

1 cup of white sugar=¾ cup of syrup

(Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons for each cup of syrup substituted.)

Maple syrup is a100-percent natural, unrefined sweetner. Once opened, a container can be expected to keep about 6 months if refrigerated.

Moldy Syrup

On occasion syrup can become moldy. Cornell Cooperative Extension recommends that you NOT throw out the syrup. Instead, skim off the mold, bring it to a boil, and then store in a clean container. This should restore the syrup to its original quality.

Crystals

Should you find crystals in the bottom of the syrup container, remove the syrup, add a little water, and heat. (Microwaving is acceptable.) This should melt the crystals, at which point the syrup can be returned to the container.

Did You Know...

When the weather warms up, squirrels, especially red squirrels, will bite off a bit of the tree's bark to start the sap running. This they will drink. The running of the sap from small wounds made by squirrels attracts birds and insects, who also enjoy the sweet liquid.

Recipe

Maple Walnut Pie

Central New York Maple Festival

Maple Weekend

Cayuga Nature Center Annual Maple Festival 

Where to Buy Maple Products

CAYUGA COUNTY

Schoolyard Sugarbush

5967 Appletree Point Rd.

Moravia, NY 13118

315-497-3480

Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup

8957 Pierce Rd.

Jordan, NY 13080

315-689-9833

Swayze Farm Sugar Bush

1354 Kings Corners Rd.

Union Springs, NY 13160

315-364-7855

CHEMUNG COUNTY

Archie & Ruth Larison

165 Cooper Hill Rd.

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-589-6278

CORTLAND COUNTY

Button's Maple Products

4870 Telephone Rd.

Cincinnatus, NY 13040

607-863-3879

Delavan Farms

5034 Gee Brook Rd.

Cincinnatus, NY 13040

607-863-3822

MONROE COUNTY

Trout Brook Sugarhouse

296 Taylor Rd.

Honeoye Falls, NY 14472

585-624-5648

ONONDAGA COUNTY

Cedarvale Maple Sugar Co.

3769 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Syracuse, NY 13215

315-469-6422

ONTARIO COUNTY

Kettle Ridge Farm

515 Log Cabin Rd.

Victor, NY 14564

585-683-7506

Schoff 's Sugar Shack

1064 Willis Hill Rd.

Victor, NY 14564

585-924-3769

Timberbuck Maple

7707 Tilton Rd.

Bloomfield, NY 14469

585-229-9713

Wohlschlegel's Naples Maple Farm

8064 Coates Rd.

Naples, NY 14512

585-775-7770

SCHUYLER COUNTY

Arnot Forest

611 County Rt. 13

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-589-6076

Please note: Arnot Forest is a teaching and research facility belonging to Cornell University. It is open to visitors and offers seminars and workshops. Syrup from the forest, as well as other products produced by the University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, are sold at the Cornell Orchards, 709 Dryden Rd. (Rt. 366), Ithaca, NY 14850.

Crainey Maple

5820 State Rt. 13

Cayuta, NY 14824

607-594-2164

Windsong Farm

5051 Tuttle Rd.

Burdett, NY 14818

607-546-5408

TIOGA COUNTY

Sugarbush Run

1928 Howard Hill Rd.

Newark Valley, NY 13811

607-642-8750

Sweetrees Maple Products

761 Glen Rd.

Berkshire, NY 13736

315-699-3855

TOMPKINS COUNTY

Cornell Orchards

709 Dryden Rd. (Rt. 366)

Ithaca, NY 14850

607-255-4542

Wellspring Forest Farm

6164 Deer Run Lane

Trumansburg, NY 14886

607-342-2825

WAYNE COUNTY

Packard Valley Farms

438 Macedon Center Rd.

Macedon, NY 14502

315-986-2539

Shadow Hill Maple Syrup

7285 Lakeside Rd.

Ontario, NY 14519

315-524-2190

Stoney Ridge Maple Farm

625 County Road 28

Palmyra, NY 14522

585-314-4646

YATES COUNTY

Shiek's Maple Products

873 Ridge Rd.

Penn Yan, NY 14527

315-536-6393

The Sugar House

Loomis Barn and Country Shops

4942 Loomis Rd.

Rushville, NY 14544

585-554-3154

Updated 21 June 2018